Letter from Rabbi Ross Dear TBS Friends and Family,
This Saturday we start our Adult Bnai mitzvah sessions, Prayer Essentials, before Torah Study at 9 a.m. (Details are below.) Each session is independent and can be attended separately or together with the others. Torah Study and bagel brunch will move to 9:45 – 11:00, with a short prayer service to follow. Join us for these wonderful gatherings.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you this Saturday!
Election Thoughts
On this Shabbat before election day, I have two pieces of election advice:
1 – It’s a mitzvah to vote: it’s an obligation, a spiritual commandment. It’s not optional. Too much is at stake this year. Vote.
2 – I can’t tell you who to vote for, but I encourage all of us to use the Jewish values we studied together at the High Holidays to guide our selections: we focused on compassion for self and for others, we focused on lifting the voices of Israelis to understand the world from their perspective, we explored the sense of Jewish peoplehood that has emerged the past year, we explored our sense of awe and love of nature as we deepen our relationship with the natural world, we lifted up the voices of women, like Hannah and Hagar, as we pay attention to the role of hearing the voices of women, we experienced holiness in community, we explored humility in speech
So here are the Jewish values to take into the ballot box with you: – Chesed– loving kindness or compassion – Ahavat Yisrael – love of the people of Israel – Amiut – Jewish peoplehood – Shalom – peace, wholeness equality – Tikkun Olam – Repairing the World – Kehillah – community – Anavah – humility
Exciting News – TBS’ Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class Starting this fall!
Have you wanted to transform your adult understanding of Judaism into a meaningful ritual? We are forming an adult b’nai mitzvah class this fall. We will spend the next 18 months studying together. Each student will read from the Torah, lead part of a group prayer service, and deliver a D’var Torah. Rabbi Michael Ross and Jean Beasley will be the instructors. Costs will be determined by enrollment.
CLASSES: – Jewish Prayer Essentials – structure & meaning of prayers (Fall ’24: Saturday mornings before Torah Study, from 9:00 – 9:45 am) – Making Prayer Real – the art of prayer (Spring ’25, Saturdays before Torah Study, from 9:00 – 9:45 am) – Basic Hebrew (Winter and Spring ’25, class time to be determined) – Torah Reading & Chanting (Fall ’25) – Spiritual Autobiography writing (Fall ’25 or Spring ’26)
Zoom link for Torah Study Classes:
This is the same link for each class. TORAH STUDYLINK
Meeting ID: 844 3145 6155, Passcode: tbstorah See below Upcoming Events section
From the President In case you did not attend the adult High Holiday services, I took the opportunity to introduce our TBS Legacy Fund Drive. Please know, raising money at the holidays, which is normal for many temples, is not normal for us. In fact, our last major fundraiser was twenty years ago, when we bought our building.
The most immediate reason for this drive now is that our mortgage is due early next year. We need to either pay the roughly $80,000 balloon payment or re-negotiate new terms at a higher interest rate than before. Your board would like nothing more than to pay it off.
The goals and the plan we passed out over the holidays follow this letter. We have formed a fund-raising committee, with initial names and emails included at the bottom of the plan. If you have questions or would like to join our committee, please feel free to contact one of us.
In the coming weeks we will be reaching out to each of you to offer you the mitzvah of contributing. I will keep you up to date here as we go along in our attempt to reach our goal.
Hey, we can do this! We can both ensure our Jewish presence here in the Western Reserve as well as cement our legacy through permanent ownership of the building we love.
Thank you to all who have already pledged and to everyone else, please join us.
And a sweet year to all. Larry Terkel
Announcing the TBS Legacy Fund Drive
As members of Temple Beth Shalom, we have a unique opportunity to insure the legacy of our temple here in the Western Reserve. While we are a religious minority in our area, TBS stands as a shining example of the survival of the Jewish people and the role Judaism offers to a challenging world. That TBS is here, that we have survived for decades, that we have grown when other temples have struggled or, proves that we offer a meaningful contribution to our society and culture.
And now, we can ensure that legacy in a number of ways:
• The most immediate and visible way is to pay off and burn our mortgage. We are faced with a balloon payment, due early next year, in an environment of higher interest rates than we had before. Hey, let’s just pay it off! Let’s truly own our historic and loveable building here in Hudson, and let’s never let anyone take it away!
• But let’s not stop there. We know our building needs tender-loving care so let’s build a legacy fund that insures that care. Whether we need a new roof, fresh paint, a new boiler or unforeseen repairs, let’s make sure we have the means to handle it.
• Not only that, instead of paying interest we’ll be making interest, which will really help our bottom line.
• Also, let’s be clear about two principles TBS has held firm. One is that unlike almost every other temple we know, TBS has never imposed a building fund. In many temples that cost can be as much as their dues. For many that has been an attractive incentive to join TBS, so let’s try to keep it that way!
• The other principle is we do not turn people away who can’t afford our full dues. Everyone, and we mean everyone, is welcome to seek solace, spirit, community and peace within our doors so let’s pass that on to future generations.
• Finally, we have never been a temple constantly pushing fund-raising campaigns. Unlike some temples, where there is on-going pressure, this is our first capital campaign in 20 years. (That’s when we raised the money to buy the building.) Yes, we know many of you have responded to our suggestion to voluntarily add a donation to your dues. Those donations have helped us balance our budgets and to help fund those who can’t afford to pay our full dues. Let’s do this so we can try and keep the pressure low for the next 20 years as well.
What is our goal and how can we reach it?
Your board has set a goal of $200,000. That will pay off our approximately $80,000 mortgage and give us about a full year of revenue to have in reserve, a number we feel will insure our future for the next 20 years.
We are asking everyone able to first consider donating the equivalent of one year’s dues. (Note: we did not raise dues or school fees this year.) The problem is that will not even get us halfway to our goal. So, we are asking those with available resources to dig deeper. To those of you already planning on leaving a legacy to your future generations, we are asking you to make this contribution part of that legacy. You will be insuring a Jewish presence here for future generations as well. That is why we are calling it the TBS Legacy Fund.
We are also asking for volunteers to join our Legacy Fund-Raising Committee. You will not have to apply pressure to anyone. We simply want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate in this mitzvah. All contributions, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated and acknowledged. Please direct your questions to any of our board members: Larry Terkel Larry@LarryTerkel.com 330-714-6346 Wendy Hess wendykhess@hotmail.com 330-666-1944 Laurie Frankino lfrankino@gmail.com 330-620-2020 Mark Schildhouse markschildhouse@gmail.com 330-342-1146
Donations to support Israel can be made at
Cleveland Federation:
Temple Beth Shalom can now use Zeffy for donations, membership dues or other payments. On the Dues/Fees/Donations tab on tbshudson.org is the option Zeffy, which works like PayPal except Temple Beth Shalom does not pay a fee. Dues/Fees/Donations Link
TBSBrotherhoodmeetings/events
This is the crew that took down the sukkah in 55 minutes.
New TBS world record!!!
Mark, Mike, and Art met on Tuesday afternoon to take down the TBS Sukkah. We are grateful to the Brotherhood for all their work around the temple and the funds they raise to keep our building in good shape!
Our shed offers the perfect spot to store the Sukkah!
Raising the bar for next year’s Sukkah challenge!
Interested in joining Brotherhood’s next activity? Contact Mike Miller 330-620-4799.
• Brotherhood Membership
Please contact treasurer Art Busch, ascyb34@yahoo.com with any questions.
Your financial support is much appreciated.
The Brotherhood performs much needed projects for TBS. Even if you cannot participate in Brotherhood,
Please contact treasurer Art Busch, ascyb34@yahoo.com with any questions.
Your financial support is much appreciated.
The Brotherhood performs much needed projects for TBS. Even if you cannot participate in Brotherhood, PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION. This will help to complete the many projects planned for 2024 for TBS.
We meet throughout the year in the spirit of friendship and good humor. We sponsor social events, fundraisers and building beautification projects to support and enhance the TBS community. Contact: Mike Miller at: mikemillercsi@roadrunner.com
TBSSisterhoodmeetings/events
• Join the Sisterhood and support us with a dues donation. Please email me, Robin Rosen-Sharp (rrsdvm2@gmail.com) if you need a membership form and would like to mail your payment.
Please Do Notpay along with your Temple dues.
• Upcoming meetings and events are currently being planned and scheduled by the Sisterhood. Announcements will be posted as soon as they are available! Thank you for your support!
Book Club!
Our friends from the First Congregational Church would like to have a book club with us! We plan on reading a book by Jonathan Sacks called “To Heal a Fractured World.” We are planning to meet November 12 at 6:00 PM at Temple Beth Shalom. If interested in reading and joining a discussion, please email kimstrausser@gmail.com
Temple Beth Shalom Website Notes
• Past e-Megillahs can be found on Media/e-Megillah Newsletters page: E-MEGILLAH NEWSLETTERS
You will need to use the password TBSHudson
You can view upcoming services and events on the Calendar page: CALENDAR PAGE
Welove to share news & announcements at TBS
Please send us your announcements, engagements, weddings, graduations, sports news, kid news, etc. to: e-megillah editor, hberman44236@yahoo.com no later than ONE WEEK PRIOR to the next issue.
Please include ‘e-megillah news‘ in the subject field.
We are looking for VOLUNTEERS to help our Temple!
Activities to match your interests and abilities
are still available!
D E A T H S I N T H E L A S T Y E A R
John Andro • Jane Litt• Norman Taer
Karen Touve • Mark Varney
A monthly yahrzeit list of TBS family loved ones will now be published in the e-megillah
as well as read during Shabbat services.
O C T O B E R Y A H R Z E I T S
John Andro•Mary Blazey•Alex Burstein•Celia Busch Evelyn Costea • Janet Houghton•Karen Klaus Herbert William Kirchheimer•Charles Masetta•Sylvia Lowe Miller Mary Minor•Alan Roberts •Else Tietz Scholem Billie Taer•Herbert R Wismer
If you have names to add, please send them with their yahrzeit date to:
Laurie Frankino, Ritual Chair, at lfrankino@gmail.com.
• Upcoming meetings and events are currently being planned and scheduled by the Sisterhood. Announcements will be posted as soon as they are available!
Book Club!
In case you did not attend the adult High Holiday services, I took the opportunity to introduce our TBS Legacy Fund Drive. Please know, raising money at the holidays, which is normal for many temples, is not normal for us. In fact, our last major fundraiser was twenty years ago, when we bought our building.
As members of Temple Beth Shalom, we have a unique opportunity to insure the legacy of our temple here in the Western Reserve. While we are a religious minority in our area, TBS stands as a shining example of the survival of the Jewish people and the role Judaism offers to a challenging world. That TBS is here, that we have survived for decades, that we have grown when other temples have struggled or, proves that we offer a meaningful contribution to our society and culture.
Temple Beth Shalom can now use Zeffy for donations, membership dues or other payments. On the Dues/Fees/Donations tab on 
This is the crew that took down the sukkah in 55 minutes.
Temple Beth Shalom